A third agent had his security clearance revoked, a step likely to eventually see him dismissed, said Secret Service Assistant Director Paul Morrissey in a written statement yesterday.

Two other agents have been cleared of serious misconduct but will face "administrative" action, Morrissey said. Previously, one other agent had been cleared of misconduct. The latest moves mean that nine Secret Service agents lost their jobs or will leave the Service over the sleazy episode which saw prostitutes invited back to their hotel earlier this month in the Colombian resort of Cartagena. A total of 12 agents were investigated in the scandal, and all those cases have now been accounted for, following yesterday's announcement.